Gymnasium-ring.



M. B. REACH.

GYMNASIUM RING. APPLIOATION FILED 001:. s, 1913.

1,108,003. Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

WW J Zibn 5. Reach,

W wr ifi THE NORRIS PErERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHOH WASHINGTON. D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT orruon.

MILTON B. REACH, OF CHICOPEE,.MASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR TO A. G. SPALDING&

- BROS. MA'NFG. 00., A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

GYMNASIUM-RING.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON BQREACH, citizen of the United States,residing at Chicopee, Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Gymnasium-Rings, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is designed to provide a gymnasium ring for use, forinstance, as a flying ring or a traveling ring in which, instead ofmetal as the material to be used, I employ wood which will provide aconvenient and comfortable handhold from which the hand will not readilyslip. In constructing a wooden ring, it is desirable to have the lowerportion of the ring of suflicient diameter to afiord a proper hand-holdwhile the upper part of the ring may be of smaller diameter to securelightness. The ring therefore as constructed by me is of laminated form,consisting of wooden strips bent to ring shape and secured together byany suitable means such as glue, the ring at its lower portion havinginserted laminations which are thicker at their central portions andtaper toward their ends so that when these pieces are inserted thematerial of the ring at this portion will be of greater diameter thanthe cross sectional diameter of the material forming the upper part ofthe ring.

My invention also includes a wooden ring having a metallic clip orsuspension device attached thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a ringbuilt in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross sectionalview taken vertically.

Gymnasium rings as heretofore made and generally used are of metallicconstruction and it has been customary to provide them with variouskinds of covering. For playground use it is desirable to have a coveringfrom which the hands will not readily slip, and which will resist theaction of the weather. As yet so far as I am aware no suitable ring hasbeen devised to meet these conditions, the nearest approach being awrought iron ring with an aluminum jacket cast thereon. Rings composedof metal, however, soon polish under use and become slippery, and thusafford only an insecure hand-hold. Leather or rubber coverings such asare used in indoor gymnasiums are not practicable for out-door use, asthey wear Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 3, 1913.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914. Serial No. 793,195.

rapidly, and deteriorate under weather conditions, andunder the abuse towhich they are subjected on the playground. My ring I form oflaminations, as indicated at 1.

' Theseare so arranged as to retain the full strength of the wood inhaving the grain continuous in one direction. The ring is round in crosssection, and the cross sectional area of the lower part is greater thanthat of theuppcr part, this being due to the inserts 2 which, it will benoticed, are considerably thicker at their central portions than attheir ends, said inserts being gradually tapered to their ends. By theuse of these inserts the lower portion of the ring can be built up tothe proper diameter to afford a reliable and comfortable hand-hold, andthis can be done without waste of wood or necessitating cutting awayparts of the laminated strips, so that an end grain would be exposed. Inorder to provide a suspending device, various forms may be employedattached to the upper part of the wooden ring, and as one form I show ametallic clamp formed in sections, each section having a curved portionsemi-circular in cross section to fit on the ring, and having also anupwardly extending socket portion 3 to receive and hold an enlargementor ball 4: on the loop or clip 5 to which the suspending strap or cordis attached. The two members of the clamp are held together by screws,as

shown.

In the manufacture of the ring a long, thin strip of wood, possibly 12or 13 feet, is used, of the right width and of a thickness proper formaking the laminations. This strip is bent continuously around a form,being meanwhile soaked in hot glue, and the inserts for enlarging thediameter are placed at the particular points desired, this being done atthe time that the winding is performed. After the ring has been wound upin this way it is clamped and allowed to set, after which it is shapedas shown.

I claim as my invention 1. A gymnasium ring comprising an independentstrip wound around itself to form a laminated section and means forforming a greater thickness at one point than at another.

2. A gymnasium ring comprising an independent strip wound upon itselfwith one or more inserts of limited extent held between the laminationsto increase the cross section diameter of the ring at the location ofthe insert.

3. A gymnasium ring comprising two independent strips Wound uponthemselves, one forming the inner and the other the outer part of thering, and an insert of limited extent between said parts.

i. A gymnasium ring comprising more than one section each composed ofoverlapping laminations and an insert between one or more sectionsproducing a greater thickness at one point than another.

5. In combination With the Wooden gymnasium ring, a suspending device ofmetal composed of two vsections each having a curved portionsemi-circular in cross section to fit the ring, and each having a socketportion and a loop or clip havin an enlargement held Within the socket,su stantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MILTON B. REACH.

WVitnesses:

C. H. KI PA'rRIOK, C. J. HAMILTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Yatents. Washington, I). G.

